Prior to my first sign of melasma, when I was 25, I didn’t pay attention to sunblock or skin protection at all. Living in Miami, I spent a lot of time outdoors and at the beach as a teen and as a young adult—I’m even guilty of going to a tanning salon to perfect my tan! Please, please don’t make that mistake. I wish I could turn back time and be more educated about the importance of sun safety habits, healthy aging, and the use of daily sunscreen for skin health. Sun safety habits are the key to prevention of early signs of aging and all skin diseases from melasma to malignant melanoma.
I’m going to say what you don’t want to hear. Sunrise and sunset are the moments for the beach or the pool; high noon is the strongest, skin-damaging light. Shade is the best sunblock there is—you can now find me under the umbrella, wearing my visor or a chic hat, and reapplying sunscreen every two hours. As well as keeping my dermatologist, Dr. Stacy Chimento, on speed dial. We can never underestimate the power of prevention!
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. with 1 in every 5 Americans diagnosed in their lifetime, and melasma affected approximately 5 million people in the country. That said, I’m committed to educating people on the importance of the use of daily sunscreen. For my face, I love EltaMD UV Physical Broad-spectrum SPF 41, which I apply after my moisturizing cream and since it’s lightly tinted its become my little secret to hide imperfections. For my body, I like COOLA Classic Body Organic Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50, as it gives transparent coverage and is reef-friendly.
Prevention is so important, and it starts with practicing healthy sun habits for ourselves and our children. For baby Shiva, I love COOLA Baby. I’ll share a list of our team’s go-to sunscreens in a separate blog post. For now, let’s continue to safely have fun in the sun and enjoy the rest of summer!
xx,
Gigi
